Method for growing thin oxide films

Abstract

A method is provided for growing thin oxide films on the surface of a substrate by alternatively reacting the surface of the substrate with a metal source material and an oxygen source material. The oxygen source material is preferably a metal alkoxide. The metal source material may be a metal halide, hydride, alkoxide, alkyl, a cyclopentadienyl compound, or a diketonate.

1. A method for depositing a thin oxide film comprising silicon on a surface of a substrate, the method comprising alternately contacting the surface of the substrate with a metal source material and an oxygen source material, wherein the oxygen source material is a silicon compound comprising at least one alkoxide group. 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen source material additionally comprises at least one ligand having negative charge attached to a silicon atom, wherein the ligand is other than an alkoxide group. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen source material comprises a tertbutyl group. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal source material is a compound according to the formula:
   M′X b   VII 
 wherein M′ is any metal of the periodic table of the elements or boron or silicon, b is the valence of M′ and X is a negatively charged ligand. 
 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein X is selected from the group consisting of halide, hydride, alkylamide, alkoxide, aryloxide, alkyl, cyclopentadienyl and β-diketonate ligands. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the metal source material is a halide or alkoxide. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal source material is an aluminum compound. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metal source material is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl aluminum and aluminum trichloride. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the thin oxide film comprises aluminum. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal source material is a hafnium compound. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the thin oxide film comprises hafnium. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate on which the thin oxide film is deposited comprises a silicon surface. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising treating the substrate to remove the native oxide from the surface of the substrate before depositing the thin oxide film. 
   
   
     14. An atomic layer deposition type process for depositing a thin oxide film comprising a transition metal and silicon on a substrate in a reaction chamber, the process comprising:
 contacting the substrate with a metal compound; and 
 contacting the substrate with an oxygen source material, 
 wherein the oxygen source material is a silicon compound comprising at least one alkoxide group. 
 
   
   
     15. The process of  claim 14 , wherein the metal compound is a halide or alkoxide. 
   
   
     16. The process of  claim 15 , wherein the metal compound comprises aluminum. 
   
   
     17. The process of  claim 15 , wherein the metal compound comprises hafnium. 
   
   
     18. The process of  claim 14 , wherein the oxygen material additionally comprises at least one ligand having negative charge attached to a silicon compound, wherein the ligand is other than an alkoxide group. 
   
   
     19. The process of  claim 18 , wherein the oxygen compound comprises a tertbutyl group. 
   
   
     20. The process of  claim 14 , wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of approximately 200° C. to 600° C. 
   
   
     21. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen source material comprises one ligand having negative charge attached to a silicon atom and three alkoxide groups attached to a silicon atom. 
   
   
     22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the three alkoxide groups are tertbutyl groups. 
   
   
     23. The process of  claim 16 , wherein the metal compound comprises trimethylaluminum. 
   
   
     24. The process of  claim 14 , wherein the oxygen source material comprises one ligand having negative charge attached to a silicon atom and three alkoxide groups attached to a silicon atom. 
   
   
     25. The process of  claim 24 , wherein the three alkoxide groups are tertbutyl groups.